Xpress’ Top Ten Freshers Tips!

Welcome to Cardiff, Freshers!! All of us at Xpress hope you have a brilliant first year, and want to offer some words of wisdom that we wish we had known in order to help us survive!

– Unpack ASAP! If you leave it too late it is almost guaranteed that you’ll spend the entirety of first year living out of your suitcase. A well decorated room also creates a much more homely atmosphere for you.

– Make a budget for each week! So many people spend all of their money early on in the year and then rely on cheap pasta and beans for the rest of the term… Also NO, you don’t need to do another random amazon order.

– Embrace Lidl, it’s the cheapest place to buy food and you’ll save yourself a fortune.

– Attend the fresher’s fairs and other fresher’s events. You’ll be more informed with what the university has to other and you can also get free stuff!

– Your degree isn’t isolated to just your daily lectures and seminars. Step out of your comfort zone and join a society (preferably Xpress). You’ll meet some incredible people and you’ll find extra-curricular opportunities that will help you in the future after university.

– Stay organised and don’t leave your work until the last minute! Although an all-nighter with your housemates in the ASSL is quite fun… your body will be a lot better if you avoid this!

– Spend some time trying to find a way of taking notes that works for you. It might seem like a bore right now but you’ll love yourself when it comes to exam season!

– Explore the city! There’s so much to do in Cardiff. Parks, museums, live music venues (Womanby Street), clubs, pubs, shopping, cinemas… the list goes on!

– Don’t be afraid to ADULT! Sign up to the doctor’s surgery and make an appointment when you’re not feeling well. Everyone hates talking on the phone but your guardian/s can’t do it for you now and fresher’s flu will find you at some point!

– Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Whether you need academic or emotional support, the university provides a huge amount of assistance through the personal tutor system, student mentors and Student Advice.